Cincinnati Ballet toasts its New York run

Some 200 revelers jammed into the rooftop cabanas, all in chic cocktail attire, yelling to each other over loud techno rock music about how much they loved the ballet

Victoria Morgan, Artistic Director and CEO, Cincinnati Ballet, center, works with corps de ballet dancer Joshua Bodden as she teaches a class to dancers during the season's first rehearsal held at the Kaplan studio in Over-the-Rhine in August of 2013.(Photo: Enquirer file)

Cincinnati Ballet concluded the big week of its debut at the esteemed Joyce Theater in New York with a Saturday night bash for more than 200 Cinncinnati supporters in the Maritime Hotel.

The scene: Some 200 revelers jammed into the rooftop cabanas, all in chic cocktail attire, yelling to each other over loud techno rock music about how much they loved the ballet.

Celebrity sighting: Lee Roy Reams, Broadway's song and dance man, picked up a microphone and noted, "Cincinnati is celebrating 50 years (cheers). I go back 50 years, as one of the first members of Cincinnati Ballet. That summer I was part of the Cincinnati Zoo Opera Ballet. And I met a young dancer … who grew up to be Suzanne Farrell in the New York City Ballet. You have something to be proud of, Cincinnati."

The Covington native and CCM grad is a multi-Tony nominated actor ("The Producers") and director ("Hello, Dolly!," "Anything Goes") and much, much more.

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Artistic director and CEO Victoria Morgan speaks at the Cincinnati Ballet afterparty at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan, New York, on Saturday, May 10, 2014. The party served as the grand finale for Cincinnati Ballet's 50th anniversary season. John Taggart / Special for the Enquirer

(From left) Mike Strauss, Leslie Thompson and Kitty Strauss attend the Cincinnati Ballet afterparty at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan, New York,on Saturday, May 10, 2014. John Taggart / Special for the Enquirer

(From left) Michael Bailes, Joanne Levenson, Heidi Jark and Steven Kanat attend the Cincinnati Ballet afterparty at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan, New York, on Saturday, May 10, 2014. John Taggart / Special for the Enquirer

(From left) Joanne Levenson, Ted Schwartz, Minette Hoffheimer and Michael Bailes attend the Cincinnati Ballet afterparty at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan, New York, on Saturday, May 10, 2014. John Taggart / Special for the Enquirer

(From left) Brian McCurdy, Beth McCurdy, Carol Olson and Bob Olson attend the Cincinnati Ballet afterparty at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan, New York, on Saturday, May 10, 2014. John Taggart / Special for the Enquirer

(From left) Lee Roy Reams, Barbara Kellar, Larry Kellar and Robert Pitcairn attend the Cincinnati Ballet afterparty at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan, New York, on Saturday, May 10, 2014. John Taggart / Special for the Enquirer

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Not seen in the crowd: Sarah Jessica Parker, who had been rumored to be there. She wasn't, but her mother Barbara and stepfather Paul Forste were seen congratulating artistic director Victoria Morgan. In the '70s, Parker was one of many young ballet students who appeared in the Cincinnati Ballet's first three seasons of "The Nutcracker."

Final impressions: "The week has been totally high-energy. The dancers have been bouncing off the walls; they're young, and several of them have never been in New York before. So it's an eye-popping, eye-opening experience. The New York community – outside of the blankety-blank review – has been so responsive and so positive, and it's been really fun. Audiences have been so upbeat for us. I love their comments. One said, 'I didn't know Cincinnati Ballet would be like this. You have an amazing company.' I said, 'Yeah!' " – Cincinnati Ballet artistic director and CEO Victoria Morgan